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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28340358">To Keep You Safe</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/katsa5/pseuds/katsa5'>katsa5</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Pandemics</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:29:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,959</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28340358</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/katsa5/pseuds/katsa5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A personal-writing prompt scene inspired by the work ”Oh My God! They Were Quarantined” in which Ferdinand and Hubert are quarantined together.  What happens if one of them starts to feel ill?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>To Keep You Safe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sleepinthedirt/gifts">Sleepinthedirt</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This scene was inspired by Sleepinthedirt’s story called ”Oh My God They Were Quarantined” which you can read here:</p><p>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27964337/chapters/68489423</p><p>Rated for language and implied nudity: I prefer to keep it clean around here, but Hubert doesn't.<br/>Trigger Warning: COVID-19 (duh)<br/>I abide by the character designs in the story, but it is non-canon.  Don't expect much in the way of ’sexy time’ or ’couple fun’: I don't want to steal the story’s thunder.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It started as a little tickle in the back of his throat that he could not get rid of. After dinner, he started having a small cough but it was nothing that a hot drink couldn’t hide. It was mid-evening in their dorm and it was, strangely, anything but quiet. Ferdinand was keeping himself occupied on his laptop with his Machian Tea Room buddies on Zoom. They started out talking about experimenting with some new lavender tea, and now one of them took over the conversation by describing how he has worn out his Game of Thrones DVDs looking for inconsistencies. Hubert expected Ferdinand to leave out of boredom at any moment. But no, he was surprisingly participating. That extrovert must be feeling desperate during this quarantine. He tuned out the noise with his chess game on the Switch and music on his earbuds while sitting as far away as he could on the far side of the couch. He was still in view behind Ferdinand though. Spotify recommended the musical Hadestown, so he gave it a try. He’ll tell Ferdinand about it later; he might appreciate Orpheus. Hubert had just finished his fourth cup of hot coffee. The hot liquid soothed his sore throat. He took the opportunity to side-glance at Ferdinand, discreetly enjoying the way the collar of his white button-up slid down his shoulder as he leaned upon his folded hand. It was a ‘whatever was clean’ kind of day. Hubert himself was in a long-sleeved black shirt.  Then his ear perked. Someone in that meeting asked Ferdinand, “Are you sure he’s ok?” It was Lorenz.<br/>
Ferdinand asked, “What are you talking about?”<br/>
“He’s been coughing a lot.”<br/>
Ferdinand turned around towards Hubert. ”Now that you mention it. . . “<br/>
With an annoyed groan, Hubert stood straight up and stomped towards the freshly percolated coffee.  Another man asked, “Ask him if he can taste that coffee.”<br/>
A lady asked, ”Ferdie, is it safe to be near him right now?”<br/>
Hubert was gritting his teeth, and then he had another cough.<br/>
”If it was not safe, he would’ve told me so.” Ferdinand said, now looking less relaxed, ”Can we talk about something else, please?”<br/>
“Now now, people.” an older man said, ”Just because we’re in quarantine that doesn't mean colds cease to exist.”<br/>
The young lady continued, ”But Ferdie still has to be careful.”<br/>
The younger man continued, “Hubert doesn’t care. He's one of those guys that just pretend they are fine and spread it around to everyone else.”<br/>
Ferdinand interrupted. ”He is not.”<br/>
Lorenz chimed in, “He has a point. If Hubert was being careful, he’d be in his room.”<br/>
Another chimed in, ”Tell him to be more responsible-.”<br/>
Hubert walked right up to the laptop and slammed it closed. “If they can't mind their own business,” he growled, “they can leave.”<br/>
“Thanks.” Ferdinand sighed with relief, “It was getting a bit much. I’m sorry about that.” Hubert coughed. Ferdinand completely turned around towards him, “Are you sick?”<br/>
“It’s just bronchitis. I get it every year.” He turned away and coughed again, and it was very deep.<br/>
Ferdinand watched as Hubert's body shook from the force. “That sounds serious.”<br/>
In between coughs, Hubert clumsily shuffled towards the bathroom, “I’ll go clear it out in the shower.”<br/>
“. . . All right.” Ferdinand stood up, ”I’ll . . . brew something.” He knew this question was a poor choice, knew that Hubert was going to be angry, but he was worried, ”Can you taste anything?”<br/>
“I’m fine! Don’t worry about it!” Hubert yelled from the bathroom before shutting the door.<br/>
Ferdinand must’ve run his eyes over the pantry shelves at least ten times and still hadn’t made a decision. His mind was stuck on Hubert. He said it was bronchitis. But what if it wasn't? He could hear his deep-chested coughs from the shower. Occasionally he would wheeze in between coughs, sounding like that baby in the whooping cough PSA. What if it was COVID-19? He closed the pantry and started pacing in the kitchen area. If Hubert was sick, what should he do? He had no idea where the tests were done. He crossed his arms, holding himself. What if he needed to go to the hospital? How could he reach Hubert’s family? Was Ferdinand allowed to care for him? His eyes widened as the image of Hubert on a ventilator caused him to gasp in horror.<br/>
The shower had stopped, but Hubert’s coughing remained. The bathroom door opened. Hubert was still dry and dressed, so Ferdinand figured that he likely just breathed the steam. Ferdinand raced towards him, but Hubert simply went to his room and closed the door without even looking at him. Ferdinand heard a loud thunk on the worn-out loan-bed, so he peeked in. Hubert was filling a suitcase. 	“Hubert?”<br/>
“I shouldn’t stay here.”<br/>
“Wait, Hubert-.”<br/>
“I don’t want to spread whatever this is to you.”<br/>
Ferdinand ran over to him, “And you don't need to be by yourself.”<br/>
He glared, ”I can take care of myself.”<br/>
“I know that. I’m worried about you.”<br/>
“All the more reason why I should leave.” He coughed again. ”You just spent the last five minutes thinking about me in a hospital, didn’t you?” Ferdinand froze, suddenly reminded of how astute Hubert could be. He started to shake his head, but Hubert interrupted him with a glare, “You’ll overthink everything. Neither of us need that.”<br/>
Ferdinand stood up defiantly before him, glaring, ”Then I’m so sorry for making you so miserable! What if something happened to you? You want me to not care?! What do you want!”<br/>
“I’m not gonna die from a cough!”<br/>
“It sounds like you are!”<br/>
Before he could argue, he coughed. He had to lean on the bed in support.<br/>
“Hubert, I just want you to be safe.” His voice calmed. “Do you hate that so much?”<br/>
“I want that for you.”<br/>
They both looked at each other silently. Hubert hated that look in Ferdinand’s eyes. Ferdinand was an emotional man and his feelings shined through those sunny eyes like a beacon at night. He was scared. Hubert was sure that if he left, Ferdinand will likely do nothing but worry, and far be it from him to be the cause of that duress. But he couldn’t shake the fear forming within of what might happen to the other man. Hubert very rarely knew fear but a dying Ferdinand, and that he might be the cause of it, terrified him. Hubert sat down on the foot of the bed, and Ferdinand sat next to him. They both sat silently, with the red-headed man occasionally turning to him as if expecting him to speak. He placed his hand on the other's shoulder.<br/>
Hubert was angry with himself. How could he have gotten sick? He was careful. He only left once to pick up groceries and was masked and sanitized. While he only had a cough, and he was sure what it was, he couldn't shake the worry. Was it just a suggestion, or was there more pain in his chest than normal with bronchitis? Was he feeling more tired than usual? He couldn't remember wheezing before. Now he was the one overthinking! “I don't think I will, but if I get a fever I’ll get a test in the morning.”<br/>
“Please stay?”<br/>
Hubert sighed. “Fine.”<br/>
Ferdinand leaned upon his shoulder. He hugged the taller man’s clothed arm and rested the nearest hand on his thigh. Hubert’s hand covered Ferdinand’s. “It will be fine.” The red-head made a small chuckle, ”If this turns out to be just a cold, you can call me stupid.”<br/>
Hubert very faintly grinned at him and shook his head.<br/>
Ferdinand turned to look at him. “Do you like chicken noodle soup? Mom would make that whenever I caught a cold.”<br/>
That explained the cans of Progresso soups. ”Thanks, but I'm not-.” He coughed again.<br/>
On that, Ferdinand jumped from the bed and started looking for a jacket in the living room. “First things first. I’ll get you medicine.”<br/>
“That’s not necessary.”<br/>
“You are going to start losing sleep with this cough. The pharmacy should still be open.”<br/>
“Ferdinand, it's past curfew. You could get into trouble.”<br/>
“I’ll take that chance, Hubert. You're worth it.”<br/>
“You can’t be serious.”<br/>
“It’s just a slap on the wrist.”<br/>
“That might stay on your school record.”<br/>
“So what?” Ferdinand slid the sweater over his shoulders as he stood before Hubert. “If it's COVID-19, then cough medicine won’t help you. If it is not, you’ll sleep tonight. And I would risk anything to know that you will be fine.”<br/>
Hubert paused. A million objections ran through his head, but looking at that sweet and determined Ferdinand caused them all to cease, resulting in only a blush. Ferdinand donned a mask as he walked out. ”Fifteen minutes. Tops.” and he closed the door, leaving a dumbfounded Hubert.<br/>
It was an hour until Ferdinand finally returned. Sitting on the couch, Hubert had spent the last few minutes with his elbows on his knees, his face over a bowl of steam on the coffee table, and his phone in his hand. He tried calling Ferdinand earlier, but it rang from his bedroom.<br/>
“Sorry about that. All of the stores were closed.” He opened the brown bag. ”Luckily I ran into Lindhart. He had some to spare.”<br/>
Hubert rolled his eyes, ”Of course, he would.” On that, he had another coughing fit. Meanwhile, Ferdinand poured a spoonful of cough medicine and brought it to him, which Hubert accepts and downs quickly to resume inhaling the steam.<br/>
Ferdinand sat next to him. ”Is the steam helping?” He rested his hand on his back, gently rubbing up and down his spine.<br/>
“A little.”<br/>
Ferdinand leaned back into the couch. His fingers ran over the curve of his spine like through the fur on a cat. He smiled to himself, silently enjoying his soft skin and vulnerability. There was a time when Hubert could barely stand being in the same room with him, and yet here they were now. “Hubert, I have some eucalyptus bath salts. Let me draw you a bath.”<br/>
“That won't be necessary.”<br/>
“It’ll help. Trust me.”<br/>
“Whatever you say, Dr. Von Aeger.”<br/>
Ferdinand got up, “It’ll feel great.”<br/>
He loudly coughed.“Fine, if it shuts you up.”<br/>
While Ferdinand ran to the bathroom and started the water, Hubert placed his hand on his forehead. Nothing unusual.  He coughed again and, by now, his chest was starting to ache.<br/>
Ferdinand stepped out of the bathroom, the sounds of running water echoing behind him and steam already surrounding him. His hair was folded around his neck and shoulders and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, ”It's ready when you are.” He waved at him as he left for the living room couch, ”I’ll let you have your privacy.”<br/>
Privacy was a rare luxury during quarantine, and Hubert was appreciative. He never was one for a bath, finding them rather wasteful by nature, but he was willing to make an exception here. The building body aches demanded that. As he undressed, he took a deep breath and felt the eucalyptus soothe the pain. The mint eased his stress. Suddenly, he remembered this smell. Weeks ago, he remembered Ferdinand jogging past him outside of the dorm hall. His hair was in a high ponytail, tiny beads of sweat were on his forehead, and that smell lingered as he ran by.<br/>
The bathtub was a narrow standard of cheap, and he did not fit. He had to fold his legs just to sit in it. How did Ferdinand enjoy this day after day? Ignoring the cramped space, his mind wandered to later on that day. He saw Ferdinand practicing his ballet alone in a studio. He was just outside the door, walking by as he headed towards the Humanities Dean’s office. While it was barely there, the smell still lingered from the sweatshirt in the duffle bag by the door. Hubert paused as he watched Ferdinand’s body twist as he spun in the air like a leaf on a breeze, delicately landing and jumping like a drop of water on a hot griddle. Not a single sound was made. His movements were precise, something Hubert himself could respect, and equally enchanting. His eyes were closed as if he had surrendered to the music. He was beautiful. Ever since, Hubert had to watch him perform, to watch the beauty brought out by dance. Was Ferdinand bathing here when he readied himself for that day?<br/>
That’s when it hit him; he could smell this.<br/>
He leaned back with a deep sigh of relief. The eucalyptus opened his lungs, and the image of a naked Ferdinand with water and foam pouring down his body opened his imagination.<br/>
It had been several minutes, so Ferdinand accepted the silence as satisfaction. He sipped an orange-pekoe black tea as he heard the subtle water splashing of someone leaving. Suddenly another cough erupted, and this time it was so forceful that Hubert sounded like he was attempting to cough up a lung. Ferdinand rushed to the bathroom and to his side, seeing a dried off Hubert with a towel wrapped about his waist. By now Hubert was becoming dizzy and he started to fall forward, but instead of landing against the door as he expected, Hubert’s breath was caught as he felt himself being scooped and lifted. Ferdinand was carrying him. “For fuck’s sake!”<br/>
Ferdinand smirked, “You are nothing compared to a couple of bags of horse feed.”<br/>
Hubert sulked. He hated feeling helpless. However, during that brief moment, feeling Ferdinand’s strong, gentle arms about him and holding him so close to his dancer’s body, he wanted him to never let him go. One of the girls in a mutual class called Ferdinand’s hugs ‘orgasmic’. He thought it was grossly crude at the time, now he fully understood. Did Ferdinand have any clue about the effect he has on people?<br/>
Ferdinand hid his amusement. Hubert may be sulking, but his hands resting on him said otherwise. On that, Ferdinand gracefully and carefully placed him on the bed. Hubert was too busy being stunned to move. Ferdinand sat next to him, his hand caressing up his bare arm and shoulder, “Are you all right?”<br/>
Quickly shaking himself out of his enchantment, Hubert rolled over with another muttered ‘fuck’ and reached for the grey sweatpants from his suitcase, keeping himself turned away from Ferdinand as he slid them on. He was kicking himself for acting like some foolish girl on a romance novel cover, all tongue-tied while nearly naked in front of a guy. It was beyond revolting.<br/>
Ferdinand had his back to him, “Do you want me to go?”<br/>
Even though it was revolting, and maybe it was the sickness doing the talking, he couldn’t deny the power that man was having over him at that moment. It was strange and uncharacteristic of him, but he needed to feel Ferdinand beside him. ”Ferdinand?” Hubert meekly called out.<br/>
Ferdinand was taken aback. That was not a tone he recognized from him. “Yes?”<br/>
“Can you. . . Stay with me a while longer?”<br/>
Ferdinand smiled as he turned to him. “Of course. I will always be here for you.” He said as he crawled up next to him.<br/>
“Knock it off, Mercedes.”<br/>
Now that was more familiar. He had to laugh a tiny bit. Ferdinand nuzzled his face upon Hubert’s chest as he held him close, pressing his ear against him. ”May I? I want to listen to you breathe.”<br/>
Hubert looked at him in confusion, then he gave a resigned sigh and cradled the other’s head. “Ferdinand,” he said, “You smell like oranges.”<br/>
“Do I? I’m kind of surprised that it lasted this . . . “ That’s when he understood. The red-head looked up at him with a broad smile and then hugged him tightly. Hubert’s breathing was caught in the pressure. ”You should probably still see the doctor, anyway.” He said against his skin as his arm draped across his waist.<br/>
“We’ll see.” Meanwhile, Hubert smiled to himself as he felt Ferdinand’s body pressed against him, and rolled his head back as the medicine finally start drifting him off to sleep. It wasn't always easy to understand that man, but he always felt so good.<br/>
Until he started coughing again, this time with such ferocity that it was like his lungs swore revenge for attempting to calm them. He sat straight up, rolling Ferdinand to the side. That change of position eventually gave relief. So Hubert scooted up on the bed, quickly piling his pillows behind to keep himself elevated. Ferdinand followed him, nestling himself between his legs, wrapping his arms around his waist, and resting his head upon his chest. Hubert looked down at him, stroking his hair affectionately. Fingers combed through the bright tresses like Hubert was appreciating priceless silk, “You don’t have to stay.”<br/>
Ferdinand looked up at him with his soft smile, “I know. I want to.”<br/>
Despite himself, Hubert grinned back. His fingers, with strands of Ferdinand’s hair still dangling from them, caressed Ferdinand’s cheek affectionately. “Thank you.”<br/>
Ferdinand cuddled back upon Hubert’s chest, ”You are more than welcome.”<br/>
Sleep likely wasn’t happening for a while. Hubert got out his phone from the nightstand, “I was listening to a musical earlier. Want to listen?”<br/>
“Love to,” Ferdinand said against his skin. “What is it? Hamilton?”<br/>
“Hadestown.”<br/>
“Hm.” Hubert felt him smile. “Play it.”<br/>
He hit the triangle, then dropped the phone onto the bed as he resumed cradling Ferdinand.<br/>
 </p><p>“I can’t promise you a fair sky above.<br/>
Can’t promise you kind road below.<br/>
But I’ll walk beside you, Love.<br/>
Any way the wind blows.”<br/>
- "Promises" Hadestown</p>
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